The 2016 college soccer season is well underway. How are City’s collegiate players faring so far? Let’s take a look…
SAGINAW VALLEY STATE: The Cardinals are enjoying a four-match win streak, outscoring their opponents 14-2 in their last four matches. Most recently, SVSU defeated Walsh, 1-0. TJ Stephens (Sr.) scored a late equalizer in a 2-1 OT victory over Lake Erie on September 23. Stephens, Andrew Dalou (So.) and Troy Watson (Sr.) have featured in all eight matches for SVSU. Jordan Kalk (Sr.) has tallied three goals and eight points in six matches, which is third-best on the team. The Cardinals are 6-2 on the season and 4-2 in GLIAC action. In the GLIAC table, SVSU sits tied for second place with Northwood.
Next, the Cardinals face first-place Tiffin on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at home. Kickoff is at 3:30 PM. Follow SVSU soccer on Twitter here.
UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY: The University of Detroit Mercy Titans are off to a1-4-3 start to the season, coming off a 2-1 win over Western Michigan in which Spiro Pliakos (Jr.) scored the opening goal only 1:01 into the match. Pliakos leads the team in goals with three in six matches. Robbie Beckwell (R-Jr.), named UDM Athlete of the Week for Sept. 26, has started in all eight matches for the Titans. He recorded a career-best 10 saves in the victory over WMU and has a 1.38 goals against average. The Titans sit in seventh place in the Horizon League table.
The Titans will look to build off Saturday’s win when it travels to face Michigan on Wednesday, Sept. 28. Kickoff in Ann Arbor is at 7:30 PM. Follow UDM soccer on Twitter here.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN: The Wolverines are still looking for their first win of the season, sitting at 0-6-3 on the season and 0-4-0 in the Big Ten. Most recently, the Wolverines were defeated by Northwestern, 2-1 in 2OT on Sunday, Sept. 25. UM has been shutout five times this season. draws in four matches leave Michigan 0-1-3 to start the season. Billy Stevens (Jr.) and Brett Nason (Sr.) have featured in all of UM’s matches. Evan Louro (Jr.) has started in every match for the Wolverines. He has a 1.24 goals against average.
UM hosts UDM on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 7:30 PM before hosting Penn State on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 12 PM. Follow UM soccer on Twitter here.
MORE TEAMS TO WATCH:
University of South Carolina: The Gamecocks are on a four-match win streak, most recently coming off a 3-1 win over Georgia State. South Carolina is 5-3-0 on the season. After beating Florida Atlantic, 1-0, on Sept. 17, the Gamecocks are undefeated in C-USA play and sit in second place in the table. Danny Deakin (Sr.) leads the team in points with nine, tallying three goals and three assists in eight matches.
Next up, South Carolina faces High Point on Wednesday, Sept. 28. Kickoff is at 7 PM. Follow the Gamecocks soccer team on Twitter here.
Seattle Pacific: The Seattle Pacific Falcons are 2-3-2 to start the season and 0-1-1 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference action. Cody Lang (Sr.) has started all seven matches for the Falcons, with a 1.97 goals against average. Seattle Pacific is coming off a 3-3 2OT draw with Western Washington on Saturday, Sept. 24.
Lang and his team host GNAC opponent Montana State Billings on Thursday, Sept. 29. Kickoff is at 7 PM. Follow Seattle Pacific on Twitter here.
Albion: The Albion Brits are 4-4 on the season and 3-1 in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association play, sitting in second place in the MIAA table. with nine points. Bobby Budlong (Jr.) has featured in all eight matches for the Brits and is tied for second on the team in points with three goals and two assists. Budlong was named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 26.
Albion is coming off a 2-0 win over Alma on Saturday, Sept. 24 that saw Budlong add his name to the scoresheet. Next, the Brits face first-place Hope at home on Tuesday, Sept. 27. Kickoff is at 7 PM. Follow Albion soccer on Twitter here.
Gardner-Webb: The Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs are 3-5 overall this season and 1-0 in Big South play. Redshirt senior Ali Al-Gashamy leads his team in goals and points with six and 14, respectively. Al-Gashamy has also started all eight matches. Al-Gashamy was named the Big South Conference Offensive Player of the Week (for the second time this season) on Sept. 19 after recording three goals and two assists in two matches played.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs are coming off a 2-1 victory against Campbell in their Big South opener on Saturday, Sept. 24. They host Redford on Saturday, Oct. 1. Kickoff is TBA. Follow Gardner-Webb soccer on Twitter here.
Xavier: The Xavier Musketeers are undefeated in the Big East so far, posting two consecutive shutout wins against DePaul and Georgetown on Sept. 17 and Sept. 24, respectively. Matt Nance (Jr.) has started all eight matches for the Musketeers. Next, the Musketeers visit conference opponent Providence on Saturday, Oct. 1 at 4 PM. Follow Xavier soccer on Twitter here.
Loyola University Chicago: Ranked 17th in the nation as of Sept. 25, the Loyola Ramblers are still without a loss so far this season, sitting at 2-0-0 in the Missouri Valley Conference and 7-0-0 overall. The Ramblers are the only team in Division 1 to have a perfect record. Alec Lasinski (So.) has featured in all seven matches for Loyola and is tied for team-best in goals with three. Loyola is coming off a 1-0 win over SIUE that saw Lasinski tally the game-winning goal in the 76th minute.
Next, Loyola faces No. 12 Creighton in Nebraska on Tuesday, Sept. 27. Kickoff is at 8 PM. Follow the Ramblers on Twitter here.
Michigan State University: City head coach Ben Pirmann, City goalkeeping coach Bret Mollon and former City coach Cale Wassermann and the MSU Spartans are 2-1 in the Big Ten Conference. The Spartans are coming off a close 2-0 loss to No. 1 Maryland on Sept. 23. Next, MSU hosts Bowling Green on Wednesday, Sept. 28. Kickoff is at 4 PM. Follow MSU soccer on Twitter here.
